Our service

Our Complaints Policy

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us improve our standards.

Our Complaints Procedure

If you have a complaint, please contact us with the details. Our Complaints Partner is Fiona Hughes and can be contacted at Windeatts Solicitors LLP, 48 Fore Street, Kingsbridge, TQ7 1PE or fiona.hughes@windeatts.co.uk

What will happen next?

1. We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within seven days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.

2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to our Complaints Partner who will review your matter and speak to the member of staff/fee earner who acted for you.

3. Depending on the nature of the complaint we may invite you to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint, if it is considered that such a meeting is in the best interests of both parties, and will facilitate a resolution. If appropriate she will invite you to attend a meeting within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.

4. Should a meeting take place then within seven days of the meeting, we will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions we have agreed with you.

5. If a meeting is not considered appropriate then we will explain why we do not believe a meeting is necessary. In these circumstances we will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.

6. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange to review the decision. Someone unconnected with the matter at the firm will review the decision.

7. We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.

8. If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman at PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ about your complaint. Any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must be made within six months of you receiving a final response from us. From 1 February 2013, the time limits for the Legal Ombudsman accepting a complaint have increased to six years from the date of act/omission, and three years from the date the complainant should reasonably have know that there were grounds for complaint. For further information you should contact The Legal Ombudsman on telephone number, 0300 555 0333 or at or www.legalombudsman.org.uk

If we have to change any of the timescales above, we will let you know and explain why. You will not incur any fees for any time spent in dealing with your complaint.

Windeatts, 19 High Street, Totnes. Devon, TQ9 5NW.

SPEAK TO A LAWYER: 01803 862233 or 01548 852727

Windeatts Solicitors is a trading style of Windeatts Solicitors LLP. Windeatts Solicitors LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC382943. The registered office is 19 High Street, Totnes, TQ9 5NW. The term ‘partner’ is used to refer to a member of Windeatts Solicitors LLP. A list of members can be found at www.windeatts.co.uk or at our offices in Totnes and Kingsbridge. Windeatts Solicitors LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority – number 636433. VAT number 141 2088 92